| Yoga Study Books | |
In February, we began our study of the original yoga knowledge, and building a bridge to our JudeoChristian traditions. The 196 yoga sutras, or little lessons, were compiled some 500-800 years before Christ. You can find many translations and interpretations on the Internet for free if you'd like to follow along. Sanskrit is hard to translate into English. However, I enjoy these two translations as the commentators often set the lessons in a Christian context. Here are my picks for the best two:
How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
by Swami Prabhavananda by Vedanta Press & Bookshop
Paperback 
List Price: $10.95
Our Price:
New and used from $7.55 Buy Now
Below is a brand new translation/commentary--the one above was written in the 1930s I believe. The cover is a bit scary for Westerners, but the commentary makes the sutras, well--rather enlightening!
The Wisdom of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras: A New Translation and Guide by Ravi Ravindra
by Ravi Ravindra by Morning Light Press
Hardcover
List Price: $14.95
Our Price: $11.21 Buy Now |
JOIN OUR LIST
|
 |
| Link here to Amazon.com |
|
Amazon.com is a trusted Internet supplier that offers virtually any product imaginable (except perishable groceries) at a great discount with fast shipping and reliable customer service. This link takes you to their site. I receive a 4% commission on these products, but you get the same low Amazon price. Your support helps to defray the costs of this daily E-votional. Happy shopping! | |
|
 |
|
Spiritual Formation |
Yoga Sutra I.37 {Concentration may also be attained} by meditating upon the heart of an illumined soul.
This series of sutras focuses on different techniques to calm the mind and free it from the human constraints of anxiety, stress, fear, anger, or depression. The commentators in How to Know God suggest, "Try to imagine how it must feel to be a great saint--pure and untroubled by sense objects....Try to feel that the saint's heart has become your heart, within your own body....Both Hindus and Christians practice this form of meditation--concentrating not only upon the heart but also, sometimes, upon the hands and the feet and the whole form."
Key Bible passage: Ephesians 3:14-19
14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
I think that Ephesians 3 represents one of Paul's most powerful prayers in his many letters. He asks that the disciples in Ephesus actually hold Christ in their hearts, thus experiencing the great love of God.
TODAY'S CONTEMPLATION
Try concentrating fully on this prayer in Ephesians, and do not miss the greatest benediction in the New Testament at the end of the chapter! Then, let your mind concentrate on the heart of Christ dwelling in your heart today. |
|
| Sneezing? Wheezing?? Try Adding Folate to Your Diet | |
Folate, or folic acid, is a vitamin from the B family. Many doctors and researchers are jumping on the folate bandwagon. A decade ago, it was added to the dietary recommendations for all women of childbearing years who were pregnant or wishing to conceive, as folate deficiency has been linked to spinal birth defects.
I've seen a raft of reports lately that link folate deficiency to allergies, asthma and other breathing problems. In a large study done at Johns Hopkins, researchers found that people with the highest folate levels in their blood were up to 40% less likely to be plagued with allergies or allergic skin reactions. In a more recent Danish study, scientists confirmed that people with a genetically impaired ability to metabolize folate were 37% more likely to suffer asthma and 43% more likely to experience shortness of breath.
The #1 dietary source of folate is lentils, followed by other legumes, spinach, artichokes, beets and Brussels sprouts. Actually, the food source with the highest percentage content of folate is calves liver, but that is just not on the list of things I eat or recommend. For more information about folate and food, visit one of my favorite websites, World's Healthiest Foods. You can get enough folate from dietary sources, and the current recommendation is 400 mcg per day for both men and women--600 for women of childbearing years. If you don't enjoy eating legumes and green leafy vegetables, you might want to take a folate supplement. |
|
Revolved Triangle | |
This week, we have been doing quite a bit of intense stretching in our yoga classes. Triangle and Revolved Triangle are excellent yoga poses, but you need to develop sufficient flexibility in the legs, especially in the tender inner thigh area, to perform these without risking injury.
For instructions on this pose, click here (photo and instructions courtesy of Yoga Journal). If you'd like a more structured way to practice yoga, try the new Redeeming Yoga Workbook and Journal, now available for sale on-line. It contains an 8-week program of meditations, health tips, Bible study, plus room for journaling. Click here to order now!
|
|
Thank you so much for spending time here today. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to E-mail me at sarah@redeemingyoga.com. I'm obligated to say that none of the information contained in this E-letter should be construed as medical advice. Before you modify your diet or fitness regimen, please check with your doctor.
Sincerely,
Sarah Riehm
Redeeming Yoga |
|
|
